Video Thursday: Happy Birthday, Ray Charles

80 years ago today—September 23, 1930—Ray Charles was born, and over his 74 years of life he overcame segregation and blindness to become one of the most famous musicians in the country.

Let’s celebrate with a look back to 1955 and a twenty-five-year-old Ray Charles singing his heart out:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf0X7QuK4LI&w=475]

And there’s a pretty great picture book biography of Ray Charles, if we do say so ourselves!